The Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild meet Sunday in NHL action from the Grand Casino Arena. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Minnesota Wild prediction.
Columbus Blue Jackets Recap
The Columbus Blue Jackets come into this game looking to add on to their 1-0 OT win over the New York Rangers last time out to sit at 3-3 this season. After this game, the Blue Jackets will head home for a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Blue Jackets Snap Two-Game Slide
Charlie Coyle leads the Columbus Blue Jackets through six games this season with a team-high 6 points, totaling 6 assists. Cole Sillinger, Zach Werenski, and Kent Johnson sit tied for second with 5 points apiece, with Sillinger contributing 3 goals and 2 assists, Werenski adding 5 assists, and Johnson leading the squad with 4 goals alongside an assist. Matthew Knies and Damon Severson record 4 points each, with Knies potting 2 goals and 2 assists while Severson chips in a goal and 3 assists. Valeri Nichushkin adds 3 points on a goal and 2 assists, while Mathieu Olivier, Adam Fantilli, Denton Mateychuk, and Sean Monahan round out Columbus’s primary scorers with 2 points each. In net, Jet Greaves holds a 2-2-0 record with a 3.42 GAA and a .905 save percentage after stopping 105 of 116 shots, while Cam Talbot posts a 1-1-0 mark with a 4.43 GAA and an .822 save percentage after stopping 37 of 45 shots for the Blue Jackets up to this point in the season.
Minnesota Wild Recap
The Minnesota Wild come into this game looking to add on to their 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues last time out to sit at 5-2-1 this season. After this game, the Wild will head on the road for a game against the Edmonton Oilers.
Wild Win 3 Of Last 4
Kirill Kaprizov leads the Minnesota Wild through eight games this season with a team-high 14 points, totaling a team-leading 9 goals and 5 assists. Quinn Hughes sits in second with 12 points on 2 goals and a team-leading 10 assists, while Matt Boldy records 7 points with 5 goals and 2 assists. Maxim Shabanov, Jared Spurgeon, and Joel Eriksson Ek chip in 5 points each, with Shabanov netting 2 goals and 3 assists, Spurgeon adding a goal and 4 assists, and Eriksson Ek contributing a goal and 4 assists. Danila Yurov, Bobby Brink, and Michael McCarron occupy the next spots with 4 points apiece, with Yurov scoring 3 goals, while Blake Coleman and Olli Maatta round out Minnesota’s primary contributors with 3 and 2 points respectively. In net, Jesper Wallstedt holds a 5-1-1 record with a 2.13 GAA and a .920 save percentage after stopping 173 of 188 shots, while Calvin Pickard posts an 0-1-0 mark with a 5.00 GAA and an .800 save percentage after stopping 20 of 25 shots for the Wild up to this point in the season.
Columbus Blue Jackets @ Minnesota Wild Betting Trends: October 18, 2026
Why the Minnesota Wild will win
- The Blue Jackets have lost each of their last six games following a win.
- The Wild have won each of their last four games when playing with a rest advantage.
- The Blue Jackets have failed to cover the puck line in seven of their last eight games.
- The Wild have covered the puck line in each of their last four games when playing with a rest advantage.
- The Blue Jackets have lost the third period in each of their last seven games as underdogs when trailing after the second period.
Why the Columbus Blue Jackets will win
- The Wild have lost eight of their last nine games as home favorites against Metropolitan Division opponents.
- The Blue Jackets have won four of their last five games as an underdog when playing with a rest disadvantage.
- The Blue Jackets have covered the puck line in each of their last 15 road games against the Wild.
- The Wild have failed to cover the puck line in eight of their last nine games as home favorites against Metropolitan Division opponents.
- The Wild have lost the third period in eight of their last nine night games following a home win.
Total Goals Facts
- Each of the Blue Jackets’ last six Sunday road games have gone UNDER the total goals line.
- Seven of the Wild’s last nine games as home favorites following a home win have gone UNDER the total goals line.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in each of the Blue Jackets’ last nine games as underdogs.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 3’ market has hit in each of the Wild’s last 16 games following a win.
Minnesota Wild Player Prop Facts
- Matthew Boldy has scored at least one goal in seven of the Wild’s last eight games against Metropolitan Division opponents.
- Quinn Hughes has recorded at least one assist in each of the Wild’s last 11 games.
- Kirill Kaprizov ranks 1st in the league for Goals (9) this season.
Columbus Blue Jackets Player Prop Facts
- Valeri Nichushkin has scored a goal in each of his last four appearances with his team as a road underdog against Central Division opponents.
- Zach Werenski has recorded at least one assist in each of the Blue Jackets’ last four road games against Central Division opponents.
- Zach Werenski ranks 1st in the league for average time on ice (29:29) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Minnesota Wild rank 2nd in the league in power play percentage this season (33.33%).
- The Minnesota Wild rank 5th in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (88.46%).
- The Columbus Blue Jackets rank 29th in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (66.67%).
- The Columbus Blue Jackets rank 27th in the league in power play percentage this season (13.33%).
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Minnesota Wild Prediction
I’m on the Wild in this one. I get the case to be made for either side in this game, but Minnesota has the significant rest advantage and the benefit of playing at home in this game, while Columbus just had a defensive war against the Rangers and on a quick turnaround, I think the Wild can get the job done as Columbus falters on no rest. Give me Minnesota.